Chapter Three

Mal and Simon made their way back into the infirmary, but stopped just short of the examination table when a soft snore reached their ears. Mal glanced at Simon, his eyebows raised. Simon shrugged and gave him a look that said "It's up to you." Glancing back at the girl, he remembered the man she had slashed across the chest earlier, and decided to wait, let her rest.

As he and Simon retreated from the room, Jayne came up behind them. "Well?" He said loudly. "What'd the kid say?" Almost in response, Mal and Simon both spun around startled, while the girl launched off the table with a yell. "What the --?!" Her gaze landed on the men, and she relaxed slightly. "Oh."

Simon flushed slightly, and Jayne let out a booming laugh. "Jumpy little girl."

The kid sighed, and shook her head. "Indeed I am." She answered simply.

Mal decided to step forward before the mercenary could provoke the poor girl any more. "I have something I'd like to talk to you about." The girl looked at him and waited politely. "It's going t' be a few days 'fore we put down anywhere," Mal began, "so you're with us till then. If y'like, the minute we put down you can be on your way. Or," Here he paused a moment before going on. "We could use another body around here, so you are welcome to stay on for awhile, if you're agreeable. Sort of a trial basis, see how y'fit in." He looked at her evenly. "What'd you think?"

The girl was silent, pondering his offer. Then she came back with a question. "How much?"

"Hmm?"

"How much for any jobs I go out with you guys on?"

Mal looked at her, amused. "A fair percentage based on what exactly you do."

She looked at him for a long minute. "If I decide I want out, I'm gone. Is that a problem?" This was a test, and he knew it. Mal shook his head. She was silent for another long moment. "Alright." She let her gaze drift from one to another, coming to rest on the mercenary. "You gonna have a problem with a jumpy little girl comin' on jobs with you?"

Jayne glared at her, but finally shook his head. "'S'long as you stay outta my way."

She looked at Mal again and nodded. "Alright." She said again.

Jordan walked quietly through the corridors of the ship, glancing wide-eyed left and right. She'd never been in a ship like this, so she was intrigued. She wandered from place to place, sometimes running into a new fellow crew member, but mostly keeping to herself. She wanted to test the waters, so to speak. See what these people were like.

Her thoughts turned to dinner a few hours ago. There had been a few attemps at conversation, but nothing really took. She'd eaten sparingly at first, until Mal finally encouraged her to eat up, assuring her that they had more than enough.

It had been interesting, she reflected, observing the crew. Mal was obviously captain, and most of the time was quiet and thoughtful, although he intervened a few times.

The woman Zoe was also quiet, and seemed to be wrapped up in something, although Jordan didn't know what exactly.

Kaylee had been cheerful and chatty, trying to make the new person comfortable, and Jordan had the feeling that they may become somewhat good friends if time allowed.

Inara, too, had tried to make her feel welcome. Jordan relfected on the trained companion. It was interesting, she'd heard of such women, but it still surprised her. Jordan's lips twitched into a small smile. She'd always been teased for being too old-fashioned.

Her thoughts continued to the doctor, and his odd sister, River. Jordan remembered seeing the girl fight earlier that day. She was baffling, that kid. Unsettling.

Simon, River's brother, was reserved and reliable, asking how her arm was, gently checking her stitches before dinner. She'd appreciated his kindness, and how gentle he was, as the cut had been rather painful.

Then there was Jayne. Jordan smiled unconciously. The mercenary obviously felt she shouldn't be there, and his antagonism was actually somewhat amusing. He'd spent most of the meal glaring from Mal to her and back again.

Still pondering the crew, Jordan contined to wander around the ship. She stopped when she came across a room where the crew obviously did their weightlifting. She peeked in, making a mental note of where she'd found the room, for later. It wouldn't hurt her to lift some weights from time to time.

Turning to leave, she bumped into none other than that muscle-guy, Jayne. She jumped back, surprised. Jayne, however, merely scowled and moved past her, peeling off his shirt and setting up for a bench-press.

He turned and saw her still standing there. "What?" he challenged. "S' my turn in here, kid. Take off." Jordan's lips twitched into a small grin, and she didn't move. Jayne rose from the bench. "I said leave." He said threateningly.

Jordan still didn't move, but after a moment she nodded and left like he had asked her to.

She slowly and methodically explored the rest of the ship, until she found her way to the pilot's chair. She quietly curled up next to the consol, looking out at the stars flying by. It was comforting, calming, to just sit and look without having to think. She looked around the room and realized that this place was to be her home for a while. The thought was too weird and odd to be comforting, but she did feel safe. For now.